Scholarships
When hunting for scholarships, the vast sources of scholarships can be overwhelming. Start your search for scholarships at the following:
- Financial Aid Office - Many scholarships are need based, so having a financial aid application on file will speed up the process.
- Scholarship Office - Colleges usually have one application that allows you to apply to college funded scholarships as well as scholarships funded by endowments made by outside sources. At very small colleges the scholarship office may be located in the financial aid office.
- Departmental Scholarship Offices - Go to the department(s) for your major to request scholarship information.
- Internet-Based Scholarship Searches - You can narrow down which scholarships you might be eligible for based on the criteria you enter.
Always verify information with the source of the scholarship. Two reputable sites are:
Other sources of scholarships include the following:
- Service and social club organizations.
- Foundations formed by corporations, groups, or individuals.
- Employment or trade unions.
- Various religious, historical, and interest-based organizations.
- www.grants.gov
Scholarships are usually awarded based on one of the following categories:
- Your state
- Your college
- Ethnicity
- Religion
- You or your parent’s employer, trade organizations, or unions
- Veterans
- Disability
- You or your family’s associations
- Talents and interests
- Any special circumstances
- Essay-focused awards
Tips
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Make sure you are eligible (regardless of your achievements, you won’t get the award if you are a different race, gender, or in any other category than what the eligibility requirements dictate).
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Think quality, not quantity.
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Don’t rush (be aware of deadlines).
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Fill out applications carefully.
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Each time you apply, perfect your application and essay.
Scholarship Books to Check Out:
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Athletic Scholarships by Andy Clark and Amy Clark (Checkmark Books)
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The Scholarship Advisor: Hundreds of Thousands of Scholarships Worth More Than $1 Million by Christopher Vuturo (Princeton Review)
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The Scholarship Book: The Complete Guide to Private Sector Scholarships, Fellowships, Grants, and Loans for the Undergraduate by National Scholarship Research Service (Prentice Hall Press)
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Scholarship Handbook edited by the College Board (College Entrance Examination Board)
